Clod breaker



' J. W. KUNKEL CLOD BREAKER Oct. 23, 1934.

Filed Jan. 4, 1934 zlnuinlot' Jae 0h W Kan/(e1 Patented Oct. 23, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE i 4 Claims.

weight, inexpensive and very effective in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for the purpose stated, which includes a series of adjustable and renewable wedge-like.

tool elements peculiarly adapted for breaking earth clods and the like.

A furtherobject of the; invention is toprovide a sled breaker which is durable and, easy to handle.

These and, other objects are attained by the "means described herein and disclosed in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the device of the invention, the handle thereof being broken away to conserve space.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view looking down on Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a detail view showing a modified form of base plate.

I Fig. 5 is a detail view of a modified form of wedge-like tool element.

In Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing, 7 indicates a. substantially flat base plate or tool element support having means thereon for supporting a vertical handle means 8. The means for supporting the handle member may be of any suitable character, there being shown in the drawing a centrally located bored boss or sleeve 9 into which the handle member is inserted and fastened. Any

- suitable means such as a pin or screw 10 may be employed for fastening the handle member relative to the boss. The boss preferably is located centrally of the plate to insure proper balance. The plate 7 is adapted to support a series of :wedge-like tool elements 12 each of which is of substantially U-shape and each of which has a lower splitting wedge portion 13 for breaking up clods of dirt and the like. Each of the tool elements includes a plurality of upstanding spaced 7 legs or hangers which are preferably disposed in parallelism, and said legs lie in a common plane with the associated splitting wedge portion.

At or near the upper end of each leg is provided an enlarged stabilizing shoulder or abutment element 14 which is adapted to abut the under face 15 of plate 7. The shoulder may be held in abutting relationship with the face 15 by the use of any acceptable form of fastening means, such as the nuts 16 which are threaded onto the threaded upper ends 17 of the legs or hangers. The

threaded ends 1'7 of the hangers extend through apertures 18 provided in plate '7.

As indicated in Fig. 4, base plate is provided with apertures 180 which are elongated or of slot formation so as to provide for adjustment of the spacing between the several wedge-like tool elements. Instead of applying nuts to the upper ends of the leg members, as disclosed in Fig. l,the upper ends of the leg members may be bored or drilled and internally threaded as at 19 to receive a screw 20, the head of which engages the upper surface of the plate '7. It will be observed that the Fig. 5 construction includes the stabilizing shoulders 14 which preclude all tendency of the tool elements to rock relative tothe plate member. Although only two methods of securing the members 12 to the plate are illustrated and described, it is to be understood that various means other than those shown may be employed for either permanently or temporarily fixing the members 12 in position.

The legs or hangers of alternate tool elements are spaced apart different distances, as shown in Fig. 2, so as to provide a staggered relationship of the legs or hangers, whereby the implement may easily be cleaned and the tendency of earth to adhere thereto is avoided to a great extent. The transverse splitting wedge portions are disposed several inches below the base plate, and the construction illustrated and described provides for a minimum of obstruction beneath the plate member so that the device is not apt to clog readily while in use. The U -shaped tool elements are individually removable in both forms of the invent-ion, wherefore breakage of a part may be corrected by simply inserting a new corresponding part. In the Fig. 4 modification, the parts may not only be renewed, but may also be adjusted to afford a means for determining the degree of pulverization desired. The handle member is upright and sufliciently long to obviate stooping and bending while using the device. When a very fine comminution of the ground is desired, the device may readily be rotated during use by means of the vertical rounded handle 8.

It is to be understood that various modifications and changes in the structural details of the device may be made, within the scope of the claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A clod breaking implement comprising in combination a substantially horizontal base plate, a handle member secured perpendicularly to the plate for lifting and dropping of the implement by an operator in straight standing position, a series of wedge-like tool elements each having a plurality of spaced hangers for supporting the tool elements in spaced relationship several inches below the base plate, said tool elements being disposed transversely of the base plate in substantial parallelism with the base plate and at a sufficient distance therefrom to provide ample spacing between the plate and each of the wedge-like tool elements to induce ready release of clod particles that may be directed upwardly between the hangers and toward the base plate.

2. A clod breaking implement comprising in combination a substantially horizontal base plate, a handle member secured perpendicularly to the plate for lifting and dropping of the implement by an operator in straight standing position, a series of wedge-like tool elements each having a plurality of spaced hangers for supporting the tool in spaced relationship several inches below the base plate, said tool elements being disposed transversely of the base plate in substantial parallelism with the base plate and at a sufiicient distance therefrom to provide ample spacing between the plate and each of the wedge-like tool elements to induce ready release of clod particles that may be directed upwardly between the hangers and toward the base plate, and cooperative means on the hangers and the base plate for ad- ,justing the space between the adjacent wedge-like tool elements.

3. A clod breaking implement comprising in combination a substantially fiat perforated base plate, the perforations thereof being disposed transversely to the base plate, a handle member secured perpendicularly to the base plate for lifting and dropping of the implement by an operator in straight standing position, a series of U-shaped tool elements each of which comprises a longitudinal wedge-like tool portion and a plurality of upstanding spaced hangers of sufiicient length to space the wedge-like tool portion several inches from the base plate when the hangers are mounted upon the base plate, and cooperative means on the hangers for securing the hangers in the transverse perforations of the base plate, with the wedge-like tool portions substantially in spaced parallelism with the base plate.

4. A clod breaking implement comprising in combination a substantially flat perforated base plate, the perforations thereof being disposed transversely to the base plate, a handle member secured perpendicularly to the base plate for lifting and dropping of the implement by an operator in straight standing position, a series of U-shaped tool elements each of which comprises a longitudinal wedge-like tool portion and a plurality of upstanding spaced hangers of suiiicient length to space the wedge-like tool portion several inches from the base plate when the hangers are mounted upon the base plate, and cooperative means on the hangers for securing the hangers in the transverse perforations of the base plate, with the wedge-like tool portions substantially in spaced parallelism with the base plate, the perforations of the base plate being elongated to permit adjustment of the hangers relative thereto transversely of the direction of extension of the wedgelike tool portions.

JOSEPH W. KUNKEL. 

